2000s In African Fashion

2000s fashion is often described as being a global mash up, where trends saw the fusion of vintage styles, global and ethnic clothing (e.g. boho), as well as the fashions of numerous music-based subcultures. Hip-hop fashion generally was the most popular among young people of all sexes, followed by the retro inspired indie look later in the decade.

Those usually age 25 and older adopted a dressy casual style which was popular throughout the decade. Globalization also influenced the decade's clothing trends, with the incorporation of Middle Eastern and Asian dress into mainstream European, American and Australasian fashion. Furthermore, eco-friendly and ethical clothing, such as recycled fashions and fake fur, were prominent in the decade.

In the early 2000s, many mid and late 1990s fashions remained fashionable around the globe, while simultaneously introducing newer trends. The later years of the decade saw a large-scale revival of clothing designs primarily from the 1960s, 1970s, and 1980s.

General trends

High fashion

The leading fashion designers between 2000 and 2009 included the late Alexander McQueen, Vera Wang, Christian Louboutin, Jean-Paul Gaultier, Vivienne Westwood, and Karl Lagerfeld.

The rise of fast fashion

The early to mid-2000s saw a rise in the consumption of fast fashion: affordable off-the-peg high street clothing based on the latest high fashion designs. With its low cost appeal driven by trends straight off the runway, fast fashion was a significant factor in the fashion industry's growth. As affordable clothing became even more important in the entrance to the new age, brands had to find a way to keep up with their consumer's new spending habits.

During the year 1999, department stores such as Macy's, J.C. Penney, Kohl's and more had sales totaling $230 billion. In the years that followed, that number began to fall. By the early 2000s the rise of online retail and in-store fast fashion caused department store sales to dwindle in the wake of new styles being offered quicker than ever before by retailers. Retail giants of the new millennium included H&M, Forever 21, and Zara. Notably, the retailer Target found major success in collaborating with various fashion designers for affordable designer pieces available for the average consumer.

This trend in fast fashion allowed shoppers to own designer items at lower prices, also allowing the acceptance and production of copycat styles. Designers noticed their designs were being knocked-off, and decided to do something about it. In 2004, the retail giant H&M, a master in rolling out fast fashion, collaborated with fashion designer Karl Lagerfield to introduce a one-time collection which proved to be a huge success, as women flocked to H&M stores to own a piece of the designer's 30 selections available in the collection.

Stores such as Wet Seal and American Apparel are said to be "American precursors to the fast fashion empire". As well as the retail stores Hollister, Abercrombie & Fitch and possibly on a much smaller scale Limited Too, but in the end, stores like Forever 21 were better able to stay on top of the retail game.

Ethics

The ethics of fast fashion has been the topic of numerous debates and questioning of business practices. Producing fashion at such fast rates involves less than secure worker conditions, and non-livable wages for the laborers. It also involves a lot of waste. Americans throw out 14 million tons of clothing a year, with the help of fast fashion. Retailers like Forever 21 and H&M have come under fire, not only for their wasteful fast fashion practices that have grown steadily since the beginning of 2000, but for the involvement of cheap labor. The appeal of fast fashion lies in the copying of higher end brands; however, after something is no longer trendy it is on to the next, leaving clothes to go to waste, and workers to continue to live on unlivable wages.

Socio-economics and the logo purse

At the same time that fast fashion became able to supply vast quantities of imitation luxury goods, Western income inequalities had risen steadily. To create an image of belonging to a higher income consumer group, people sought real or copied branded items of "high fashion" items. In haute couture, designers were becoming increasingly inspired by pop culture and street style. These designs could succeed in high fashion because some top percentile earners wanted to present as being less wealthy: to communicate "street cred" or equality ideals. In addition, designer street style enabled the few social climbers that did exist (in entertainment industry, for example), to show that they valued their roots. The tensions of income inequalities and fast fashion therefore led to the blending of street style and haute couture, so that the designer logo was seen boldly printed on all types of clothing, particularly items that needed to be replaced less often, such as a purse or pair of sunglasses. A logo purse was a visual unifier, worn by celebrities, models and "middle class" shoppers (who, because of growing income inequalities, earned increasingly less than habitual haute couture customers). Thanks to outlet stores and plentiful supplies of fast fashion "knock-offs", a logo purse became available to everyone. For the majority of shoppers, a branded purse was a form of escapism; a unifying factor that let people forget how much money they made, and present themselves as being like the rest.

As the decade went on, it became increasingly popular to mix designer and fast fashion clothing. In response, a counter-culture of vintage and thrift clothing - not a new phenomenon, but not yet part of the mainstream either- began to re-establish itself in some areas, growing in popularity after the hit of the 2008/9 recession.

Women's fashion

Early 2000s (2000–2002)

Y2K fashion

*When the 2000s kicked off, the fashion was profoundly influenced by technology. Around the year 2000, there was a monochromatic futuristic approach to fashion, with metallics, shiny blacks, heavy use of gray, straps, and buckles becoming commonplace. This was called "Y2K fashion". The apparel was made to be as dark, reflective, technological, and as sexy as possible. When the original iPod was introduced in 2001, the white earbuds, as well as the gadget itself, became something of an accessory for early adopters.
*Particular pieces of Y2K clothing included mesh tops, wraparound sunglasses, wireframe rectangle glasses, box-pleated skirts, handkerchief tops (often in a metallic pattern such as silver or gold for a disco feel), satin skirts, leather skirts, concert t-shirts with rhinestones, sparkling shoes, halter tops, sequined pants (popularized by Peter Morrissey), and embroidered and sequinned tops (inspired by Easton Pearson), along with the famous pearl printed black cocktail dress by Karen Walker, which was successful worldwide.
*In the year 2000, some of the casual women's and girl's fashion trends were oversized sunglasses, mini shoulder handbags/purses, aviator sunglasses, oversized hoop earrings, jeans worn for numerous occasions (such as mid-rise, boot-cut, fabric accents down the sides, fabric accents sewn into the flares, lace-up sides and tie-dye), wedge flip flops, hot pants, denim jackets, chunky sweaters, pashmina scarves, Skechers, belly shirts, and tube tops.

Casual chic

*In Africa, Europe, North America, East Asia, South America, and Oceania, the early 2000s saw the continuation of many mid and late 1990s fashions due to the continued influence of teen pop stars such as Britney Spears and Christina Aguilera, such as the military look, while introducing newer more vaguely dystopian post modern trends. From 2001 onwards, women wore long-sleeved shirts with bell sleeves, cowl-neck tops, crop tops, Burberry, hoodies, flare jeans, hip-huggers, low rise pants, white jeans, whale tails, cargo pants (especially ones made out of silk, satin, and velvet) hip-hop inspired sweatpants, daisy dukes, thong underwear, and solid bright-colored tights.
*9/11 and the mortgage crisis of 2008 impacted fashion by bringing in a new wave of conservatism. This created a rise in denim, the American fabric of the working person. Jeans became acceptable in every situation, from the supermarket to the red carpet. It was a slow shift to conservatism, seen in how jeans started low-rise in reflection of the sexy Y2K style and moved through various waistlines and leg widths. As mentioned with the social classes, logos became a form of stability and comfort in fashion. There was a sense of unity in the country because all kinds of people were buying the same brands and sporting the same logos.
*Perhaps in reaction to the streamlined, futuristic, outer space-themed Y2K styles of the year 2000, distressed denim became popular in America from 2001 to 2008. Pants became lower waisted and significantly more flared than they were previously, and often featured elaborate embroidery rather than the utilitarian, no-frills style of before. In the UK, it was popular for women to wear skirts over trousers, floral print shift dresses, and colors like black, purple and pink. Big, chunky shoes and sandals were popular, with thick wedge heels and imitation leather straps decorated with floral embroidery, while previously successful sneaker brands like Skechers declined in popularity.

First-wave 1980s revival

*Although the 1980s fashion revival was not in full swing until 2001, the first movement had started in the late 1990s and continued into the early 2000s. This first wave primarily focused on the early 1980s. Such trends that emerged during this period included denim miniskirts, ripped "distressed" jeans, denim jackets, tracksuits, trench coats (often in pleather), puffy jackets (revived by Hip-Hop artists), and preppy polo shirts with popped collars. These remained popular until about 2008 when the revival of late 1980s fashions occurred.
*Overall, European and American women and girls wore low-top sneakers, such as Skechers, Heelys, Adidas shoes, Reebok shoes, and Nike, as well as knee-high boots with spiked heels and pointed toes (or conversely, thick low heels and round or square toes). Popular accessories of the early 2000s include white belts, aviator sunglasses, trucker hats, hoop earrings, block heeled mary janes, leg warmers (worn with mini skirts), ugg boots, flip-flops, jelly shoes, lace-up sandals, newsboy caps, ponchos, and jelly bracelets.Mikkelson, Barbara (2003)
"Sex Bracelets"
snopes.com. Retrieved 8 June 2014.

''Sex and the City''

The American television series ''Sex and the City'' impacted how women cared about fashion and how they shopped. The show depicted women as empowered consumers, each with their own independent styles that shopped based on what they wanted, not what they were told to wear. The main characters became fashion icons, inspiring window displays, fashion lines, magazines, and women globally. Carrie Bradshaw, the main character, is credited for making Manolo Blahnik a household name from her obsession with the Spanish designer's high-heeled shoes. Trends inspired by the show include stilettos, designer handbags (with two episodes centered around the latest "It bag"), large fabric flowers, and berets.

Mid 2000s (2003–2006)

It items and 1960s revival

*It items were very popular in the 2000s, particularly the early and middle years. Examples of some highly sought-after It items of the mid-2000s included Kate Spade wallets, Prada sneakers, Christian Dior saddle bags, designer-brand jeans such as True Religion low-rise boot-cut jeans and 7 for all Mankind skinny jeans, Juicy Couture velour tracksuits, Balenciaga cargo pants, Von Dutch trucker hats, and Takashi Murakami's collaboration with Louis Vuitton for their iconic It bag.
*Popular mid 2000s trends for women were embroidered low-rise jeans, yoga pants, thong underwear, cowl-neck tops, tube tops, denim jackets, bell-sleeved shirts, jean shorts, crop tops, whale tails, tracksuits, cargo pants, capri pants, trenchcoats, puffy jackets, longer tank tops worn with a main blouse or shirt, infantile dresses, 1940s inspired New Look dresses and sandals, leggings, 1960s style peacoats, tunics worn with wide or thin belts, and "vintage clothing" including hippie and Boho inspired dresses with paisley patterns. Crocs were a brief fad for all sexes in the summer of 2006, despite their kitsch connotations, and in 2006 the minidress made a comeback with the hemlines being unusually short.
*Introduced in 2005, skinny jeans became popular in 2006. High heeled shoes were replaced with ballet flats, Sperry Top-Siders, Converse Chucks, and the Keds popularized by Mischa Barton.
* Popular accessories included trucker hats, aviator sunglasses, small red glass or pearl drop earrings rather than the large hoop earrings of the early 2000s, jelly bracelets, knee-high boots with pointed toes, uggs, Heelys, platform boots, ballet flats, mary janes, studded belts, shutter shades, crucifixes and rosaries, large silver belt buckles with rhinestones, black nail polish, fairtrade African bangles, Native American beaded jewellery, Indian and Middle Eastern slave bracelets, purity rings, small leather handbags, small scarves, and simple jewellery made from recycled eco friendly materials like hemp, wood, sea shells, glass, seeds, and white metal.

Military influences

*From 2005 until the end of the decade, more elaborate military inspired clothing became a unisex trend in Britain. Due to the popularity of the ''Pirates of the Caribbean'' films, and a resurgence of interest in 1980s fashion, teen and college age ladies frequently wore cavalier boots, Greek fisherman's caps, jewelry with anchor motifs, leather look drainpipe trousers, frilly satin poet shirts, sashes, harem pants, braided hussar jackets, and dress uniforms with epaulets inspired by female pop stars, British indie/garage rock band The Libertines and MCR's The Black Parade.

African clothing

*Throughout the mid and late 2000s, women's clothing in Africa comprised either brightly colored kente cloth or mudcloth traditional dress such as the boubou, pagne, and doek, or secondhand Western dress donated and distributed by British and American charities. Mitumba clothing had been imported into Tanzania and Kenya since the economic liberalisation of the early 1990s, and was more desirable than newly made Chinese textiles due to its higher quality of construction and recognisable brand labels.

Late 2000s (2007–2009)

Carry over styles

* Many early and mid 2000s fashions remained fashionable in 2007; This included items such as denim miniskirts, whale tail, hip-huggers, boot-cut jeans, tank-tops, ripped jeans, hoodies, cargo pants, white belts, cropped jackets, capris, infantile dresses, boho-chic, and Crocs.

Second wave 1980s revival

* In the late 2000s, there was a large scale 1980s revival in Europe and the US, which incorporated general items of late 1980s and early 1990s streetwear, such as neon colors, gladiator sandals, boat shoes especially Sperrys, animal print or polka dot headbands, knitted sweater dresses, Nike Tempo shorts, jean skirts with tights, wonderbra and sloggi underwear, sundresses, geometric pattern tops, slap bracelets, ballet flats, black spandex leggings, pale denim jeggings, oversized shirts, sweaters, and sweatshirts worn with leggings, light, translucent tartan shirts worn with a camisole underneath, kinky boots, riding boots, ripped acid wash skinny jeans, and neon leg warmers worn with bare legs and a dress or skirt. In America, the crop tops that exposed the navel were replaced with longer camisole tops, boat neck blouses and mid rise pants, and miniskirts were replaced with longer dresses like the babydoll, bubble skirt, skater dress, and sweater dress popularly worn with ankle or capril length leggings or tights and ballet flats or sometimes Keds, low cut Converse Chucks or Uggs. Long, baggy empire line shirts were taken in at the bustline and often paired with a belt. Fur coats made a comeback, although many women used "fish fur" due to real fur's association with animal cruelty.
* The canary yellow dress Reese Witherspoon wore to the Golden Globes helped establish that hue as a signature color in 2007.

Eastern and fairtrade fashion

* Summer 2007 saw a resurgence of interest in ethnic fashion from India and the Middle East, including harem pants, embroidered kurti, silk sashes, sarongs, gypsy tops, and the saree as young British and American women discovered Bollywood cinema and belly dancing, popularized by Shakira.
* In Britain and the US, some younger women and teen girls, especially those affiliated with the scene subculture and geek chic, became influenced by Japanese street fashion due to the media coverage of Japanese popular culture and J-pop music from 2005 to 2009. Although a small minority wore anime or manga inspired sailor dresses, kawaii or full Gothic Lolita outfits, most incorporated a single garment such as striped neon knee socks, petticoats, rainbow dresses, knitted leg warmers, hair bows, silk floral kimono pajamas, unisex brands like A Bathing Ape, and cupcake, cherry or Hello Kitty jewellery for an ageless, child or doll-like appearance.

Activist chic

* In Britain and Australia, Middle Eastern shemaghs were worn as scarves as a protest against the Iraq War and demonstration of solidarity with the Palestinians.
* In 2007, Che Guevara chic was popular in Europe and Latin America, with olive green fatigue jackets, boonie hats, berets, and T-shirts featuring red stars or the face of the famous revolutionary.

Men's fashion

Early 2000s (2000–2002)

Y2K fashion

* At the beginning of the decade, the excitement of entering the new millennium had become evident in fashion in the first couple of years and it was becoming a new era. However, this was only prominent in nightclubs and "going out" attire. Clothing was mostly made in black, though silver was also fashionable. An example of this would be a tracksuit, Rockport boots, a dress shirt, a pair of pants, a camp shirt, or a jacket in a fancy metallic pattern for going out; while also including of items such as leather coats and pants, puffy vests, jackets, ribbed sweaters, shirts, and chunky dress shoes.usually in futuristic colors such as black, silver, light gray, and white. It lasted from late 1999 until late 2001.

Leisurewear

* After the events of 9/11, fashion became more conservative, forgoing the futuristic styles of before. Distressed denim made a comeback, with sandblasted highlights, frosted jeans, ripped jeans, and whiskering becoming commonplace. A lower rise jean had emerged during this part of the decade, effectively getting rid of the high-waisted styles of the 1990s.
* Generally, many fashion trends from 1995 onwards continued to be worn in the early years of the decade. Newer fashion trends in the early 2000s included wearing sportswear and military wear as everyday clothes. This included tracksuits, light-colored polo shirts (sometimes striped and with collars popped), cargo pants (even ones made out of linen during warmer months), khaki chinos, bootcut jeans, corduroy pants, and rugby shirts.Fall 2001
Uk.askmen.com. Practical hiking jackets (of the type made by Berghaus), fleeces, puffer jackets, and padded tartan lumberjack-type shirts were worn as winter outerwear along with brown, grey, burgundy, rust, maroon, or forest green turtleneck sweaters, and odd navy blue, stone grey, beige, or natural linen sportcoats that fastened with three buttons. These fashions continued into the mid and late 2000s.
* Men's Accessories of the early 2000s included white belts, Aviator sunglasses, trucker hats, flip-flops, oxford shoes, argyle socks (usually worn over tracksuit bottoms), Rockport boots, sneakers from brands such as Nike, Adidas, and Puma, baseball caps (bearing the logos of football, soccer, basketball, and baseball teams), and jelly bracelets.

Asian fashions

*From 2001 onwards, Astrakhan caps, kufis and the pakol were fashionable among Muslim men in Afghanistan, Pakistan, France and Italy. In India, traditional rustic male attire such as the dhoti and Lungi declined in popularity among the younger generation in favor of Westernised fashions such as Levi Strauss or Arvind Mills jeans, cargo pants, shorts, tracksuits, and sneakers.

Mid 2000s (2003–2006)

1960s revival

* In the mid-2000s, retro fashions inspired by British indie pop, garage rock revivalist groups, and the 1960s mod culture gained mainstream popularity. From 2003 to 2006, common items of clothing in the US and Europe included bootcut jeans with a light wash, wide-leg pants, cargo pants, cargo shorts, camp shirts with elaborate designs, vintage Classic rock T-shirts, throwback uniforms, T-shirts bearing retro pre-1980 advertisements or street art, army surplus dress uniforms, paisley shirts, Mod-style velvet sportcoats, parkas, windbreakers Harris tweed jackets, and fitted 1970s-style Western shirts with pearl snaps (popularised by blues-rock band the White Stripes).

Retro movie inspirations

* In 2004, men's fashion was inspired by movies from the 1960s and 1980s. Of particular inspiration were the movies Top Gun, Bullitt, and Midnight Cowboy. The clothes which were derived from these movies included Henley shirts, muscle shirts, hoodies, cargo pants, American football shirts, aviator jackets, cable-knit sweaters, khakis, seersucker suits, western shirts, blazers, and peacoats.
* Popular men's accessories of the mid-2000s included black brogue shoes, square-toed Steve Madden ankle boots, Adidas sneakers, loafers, casual shoes, Oxford dress shoes, Converse All Stars, winklepickers (taken to extremes by individuals within the Mexican cholo and lowrider subcultures), flip-flops, chokers, puka shell necklaces, shell bracelets, hemp jewelry, charity bracelets, trucker hats, and earrings.

Business suits

* In the UK workplace, black, navy or charcoal pinstripe three-buttoned office suits remained common, but Nehru suits or mandarin collar shirts inspired by the Beatles, James Bond, and science fiction movies like the Matrix, were a popular alternative from 2003 to 2006. In the US, men favored the smart casual look, with striped purple dress shirts, flat front charcoal chinos, beige cardigans, Argyll pullovers, black or brown leather blazers, and houndstooth sportcoats.

Late 2000s (2007–2009)

Throwback fashions

* In the late 2000s, 1950s and 1980s fashions became popular: Letterman jackets, black leather jackets like the Perfecto, windbreakers, dashiki or Hawaiian shirts, ski jacket

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